So the Dominoes Fall

a team I meant to include yesterday as a potential destination for Zito is Philly.  They have to want to do something after watching the Mets get everything and everyone.

Your servers are based in New York? I figured you'd be more local than that.

that the A's are very close to acquiring Milton Bradley, Chad Billingsley and another Top Prospect for Barry Zito.

I was going to send an e-mail asking about this latest server slow down but then I thought, his e-mail address is tied to the site and if the site is down can he get e-mail?

So Blez, can you get your e-mail when the server is down?

I was affraid that BB had traded Zito and AN blew up from all the people logging on to freak out! Of course that is also about the same time that I got a strange sick feeling come over me. But that might have just been my lunch. ={

Hmmmm, does Milton seem like he would fit in?  I can see him and Macha butting heads.  Wasn't Billy a big fan of the "winning" breeds chemistry logic?  

The Buster article was just rumor feed, nothing more.  Zito is still an A.

I honestly can't believe that a mediocre starting pitcher is going for 11 mil and a setup man disguised as a closer is worth 9 mil plus.  Zito ought to command 15 mil with his credentials so hopefully that will equal many top prospects.  Let the trading begin!

Manram-  Please stay in Beantown.  California is not your kind of place.

Another ala Jose Guillen

What about signing Juan Encarnacion?  At first glance his stats don't jump out at you.  But he has played most of his career in pitcher's parks.  His career AL numbers (for parks still in use) are .283/.324/.459 for a 780 OPS but if you take out the nearly two seasons worth of AB's he had in Comerica Park, his line is .300/.337/.501 for a 838 OPS.  

He also can play CF, enabling us to move Payton while keeping our solid OF defense.  I think I'd rather see a Encarnacion/Kotsay/Bradley OF than Payton/Kotsay/Bradley.  While it might take $6 million to add Juan, we'd still be money ahead if Zito is dealt for Billingsley, Bradley, Broxton, and Choi (especially if Ginter is included).  A younger, more athletic OF, with two RH hitters added.  

Any thoughts on this?

could re-aquire Jose.

Chad Gaudin - S - Athletics    

Athletics acquired RHP Chad Gaudin from the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named.
It figured that someone would want him, and it's not much of a surprise that it's J.P.'s old boss. The A's probably won't have room for Gaudin at the start of next year, but he'll be an option in middle relief or maybe at the bottom of the rotation later on. Dec. 5 - 7:22 pm et

who gots the 4-1-1 on this guy?

roster to make room for Gaudin.  So we know who won't be the backup next year, more than likely.  That's of Adam isn't back of course

I think it's live right now

Urban thinks it will have to a super deal for Billy to trade Zito. Billy got taken by the Braves on the Hudson deal and will not allow that to happen again.  Talk about Zito to Mets because of Rick Peterson, Urban thinks Zito to Yankees more likely, bright lights/big city/big stage.
Someone wrote in about Barry in Redsocks...Urban says Redsox fans might like that, doesn't know about A's fans...and Redsox don't really have anybody to trade.
Billy thinks (so do we) that if Harden and Crosby are healthy we win the west last season
More possible to package Saarloos/Kennedy/Ginter maybe in a deal for Bradley..
Did Dan Johnson push Hatteberg out of 1st base..yeah, but Scott really fell off last season, and AL Managers voted Johnson for a Topps award (???)
Urban raved about Huston STreet, not only his pitching (and he thinks he could be even better next season - not as much throwing over winter. And Huston gets stronger as season progresses)but, his attitude (Urban wants to sit down with Huston's parents and ask them how they raised a kid like that)
New ownership may mean more $$ and the fact that Wolff offered BB ownership, is smart..
"All good news when it comes to Oakland" whether or not Billy moves Zito
And as Blez said earlier...Billy is the belle of the ball at winter meeting and he is loving it.

Good interview,although nothing really new if you are on AN, hope they post it and we can hear it again.

Gammons was just on SportsCenter.  He changed his story to within 24 hours Burnett will be a Blue Jay.  He said earlier within an hour.

Has Trevor Hoffman sitting with a 3 year deal in hand from Cleveland. The money runs from $21-24 million.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5141070

If so, Channel 878 is 24/7 MLB - Home Plate - They are currently stationed at the GM Meetings (Charlie Steiner is the current host), and have some interesting stuff.  They aren't commenting on many rumors, unless its considered to be very, very legit.

Check it before you wreck it.

he's probably 6-7 on a MLB starting staff right now.

He's still going to meet with the Cardinals. The Jays have set a deadline for his decision

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2248966

http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=ml-athletics&msg=43173.1&ctx=0

I dunno, it sounds too specific to be BS.  thats just my opinion though.

i need to do other stuff but i keep checking AN

Last year alone, Bradley was accused of choking his pregnant wife and accused teammate Jeff Kent of being a racist.

Kent part: who cares? Pregnant wife beating: UGH. I can't root for this guy in the green and gold.

Please let it be someone else.

says rotoworld!!

http://www.rotoworld.com/

Milton Bradley could be on his way to the A's for right-hander Kirk Saarloos and left-hander Mario Ramos.

Rumors are floating that it's a done deal. The A's official site says only that the team has offered Saarloos and another player to the Dodgers for Bradley. If the A's get Bradley, they could play Nick Swisher at first base and use Dan Johnson as a DH. Another option would be to trade Jay Payton or Mark Kotsay and continue to pursue a designated hitter.

to be somewhere north of .350"... Let me guess--is that the freeway which gets you straight to the border?

rumor

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051205&content_id=1276725& ;vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak

Bradley prefers to play CF. You know who could really use a cheap CF?

Arizona.